Word Origin & History

pick O.E. *pician "to prick," merged with O.N. pikka "to prick, peck," common Gmc. (cf. M.Du. picken, Ger. picken "to pick, peck"), from PIE *pik-/*pek-, an imitative base. The meaning "to choose, select, pick out" emerged late 14c., from earlier meaning "to pluck with the fingers" (early 14c.). To pick a quarrel, etc. is from mid-15c.; to pick at "find fault with" is from c.1670. Pick on "single out for adverse attention" is from late 14c.; to pick (someone) up "make someone's acquaintance aggressively for sexual purposes" is first recorded 1690s. Pick off "shoot one by one" is recorded from 1810; ...baseball sense of "to put out a runner on base" is from 1939. Pickpocket is from 1591 (earlier pick-purse, late 14c.). Pick-me-up "stimulating alcoholic drink" is attested from 1867. Picky first recorded 1867.